CHICAGO — The president of the Chicago school board stepped down on Thursday, just one week following his appointment, due to concerns surrounding his social media activity, which included posts considered anti-Semitic, anti-women, and promoting conspiracy theories related to the 9/11 attacks.
Rev. Mitchell Johnson’s resignation was prompted by Mayor Brandon Johnson, who made a statement expressing the seriousness of the situation. “Rev. Mitchell Johnson’s comments were not just hurtful; they were deeply troubling,” the mayor emphasized. “I want to be clear: statements that are antisemitic, misogynistic, and conspiratorial will not be tolerated.” Johnson had been appointed as president of the school board just a week prior, as part of a new lineup that replaced former members who left amid a broader shake-up in the third-largest school district in the United States.
Reports surfaced revealing that Johnson had posted on social media his belief that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by insiders. The backlash intensified after he made a post following the 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel which appeared to defend the actions of Hamas and included a concerning remark about his Jewish colleagues, insinuating that they were intoxicated by the influence of Israeli power. His posts also included derogatory comments about working women, adding to the scrutiny he faced.
Just hours before his resignation, Governor J.B. Pritzker publicly called for Johnson’s removal and criticized the process that led to his selection as board president. “Any individual responsible for the Chicago Public School Board must demonstrate strong, inclusive, and consistent leadership,” Pritzker stated. “The opinions expressed by the current chair in social media posts — including antisemitism, misogyny, and fringe conspiracy theories — do not align with that requirement.” Johnson’s appointment was part of a broader initiative by the mayor, following the resignation of the prior board that had been in place shortly after he took office in 2023. The former members opted to resign rather than become embroiled in disputes related to budget constraints and issues with schools CEO Pedro Martinez, who was appointed by the previous mayor and has remained in his position despite the shifting leadership dynamics.
